1. Field of the Invention
A structural panel which finds particular uses as a ceiling panel or wall panel, includes an outer sheet having a plurality of spaced dividers protruding from one face thereof and a connecting sheet, or the like, parallel to and spaced from the outer sheet connecting the dividers together along their sides distal the outer sheet. The dividers are compressible for at least some period of time when pressure is applied thereto to reduce the thickness of the panel when desired, for example, for shipping purposes.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Structural panels used in the finish or decoration of building structures have taken numerous forms from drywall to decorative or acoustical ceiling panels. While such panels obviously have different characteristics, the panels have had numerous shortcomings, such as from a weight standpoint, a shipping standpoint, a lack of aesthetic or acoustical variety, and the like.
Some of these panels are used, for example, in drop ceiling systems wherein a gridwork of inverted T-shaped support members define rectangular openings in which acoustical panels or the like are placed. Such acoustical panels are typically rigid in nature and somewhat brittle. As a result, they are difficult to insert or remove from the supporting gridwork and in many cases are easily damaged during such process. Further, the ceiling panels are relatively heavy and are of a fixed thickness so that their shipping dimensions are the same as their installation dimensions. Due in part to their weight and bulk during shipping, the cost per square foot of such panels is relatively high.
Drywall is also relatively heavy, difficult to work with and has a shipping size identical to that of its installation size. The shipping cost for drywall is, therefore, also relatively high.
It will be appreciated from the above that structural panels used in the construction, finish and decoration of building structures suffer numerous shortcomings. A panel that would overcome such shortcomings would, therefore, be desirable.